GTX: The MARCO GSRC Technology Extrapolation System

1
GTX The MARCO GSRC Technology Extrapolation
System
Andrew E. Caldwell, Farinaz Koushanfar, Andrew B.
Kahng, Hua Lu, Igor L. Markov, Michael R.
Oliver, Dirk Stroobandt http//www.gigascale.org/g
tx

• Abstract
• Technology extrapolation -- i.e., the
  calibration and prediction of achievable
• design in future technology generations -- drives
  the evolution of VLSI system
• architectures, design methodologies, and design
  tools. Via roadmapping efforts such
• as the International Technology Roadmap for
  Semiconductors (ITRS), technology
• extrapolation also influences levels of
  investment in various areas of academic
• research, private-sector entrepreneurial
  activity, and other facets of VLSI design
• automation.
• This poster describes the MARCO GSRC
  Technology Extrapolation System
• (GTX), which provides a robust, portable
  framework for the interactive specification
• and comparison of alternative modeling choices,
  e.g., for predicting system cycle
• time, die size, or power dissipation. Unlike
  previous "hard-coded" systems, GTX
• allows users to flexibly capture attributes and
  relationships of VLSI technology and
• design. The GTX derivation engine performs
  studies along inference chains
• composed of user-defined rules. With its
  supporting grammars, parameter naming
• conventions, extension mechanisms, etc. GTX is an
  open source infrastructure
• allowing added value from its users.
• Introduction

• Knowledge representation in GTX
• Human-readable ASCII grammars for parameters
  and rules
• Parsed at start-up or entered by user at runtime
• Include closed-form expressions, vector
  operations, tables, etc
• Allow references and comments
• Enable peer review, verification, reuse and
  extensions
• External executable rules
• Assume a callable executable (potentially over
  the network)
• Parameters on the command-line, results in a file
• Allows arbitrarily complex semantics of a rule
  (e.g., placers, IPEM)
• Code rules
• Implemented in C and linked into the inference
  engine
• Useful to implement complex loops
• Currently used for duplication of BACPAC and new
  research
• GTX rules and parameters come in modules
• A module represents a topic
• Eight modules currently available and more to
  come
• System-level Power, Clock and Power, Device and
  Power,
• SOI, Domino logic, Global Interconnect,
  Reliability and Yield, Packaging